What Are AmberPax™ Collections?

Simply put, AmberPax™ Collections are groups of five stories centered around a specific theme. Each story within an AmberPax™ is released individually, on the same day as the others, and can be purchased separately, but these five stories can also be purchased as a single unit (the full AmberPax™) at a discount, currently 25%. Generally, an AmberPax™ is similar to an "anthology" of stories, but instead of the titles being released in only a single volume (file), they are also available individually. These AmberPax™ Collections are sold exclusively through our website and only in electronic format.

THIS BLOG is for news about the Pax Collections - follow it to keep up with releases, find early news of the upcoming collections, and share Pax fun and chat with the authors!

All Amber Paxes can be bought at Amber Quill HERE.

Saturday 29 August 2015

To Love a Hero Giveaway Winner

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to meet our military men! Without further ado, the winner of our giveaway is...

Bluerosem!

I have your address, so expect an email from us soon.

In September, we're visiting Texas and all the sexiness that comes from there. Come back on September 14 when we start posting excerpts and blurbs!

Friday 28 August 2015

A Behind-the-Scenes Bit About Return to Atsileigh by Deirdre O'Dare

Return to Atsileigh is a spinoff and semi-sequel to my very first gay romance which was also my first bestseller and in many ways changed the course of my writing career. That earlier story was Treading Dangerous Ground and begins with Jase Hightower leading some young troups in an assault on a totally different planet. It ends with his rescue from the Atsileigh debacle, told from the points of view of him and his future partner. At the time I wrote it, I had no idea some fifty or so Deridre O’Dare Amber Allure tales would follow it over the next decade. But follow they did. Cowboy stories, cop stories, doggie stories and some offbeat tales that defy putting into any box at all. It’s been a wild trip but more fun than I would ever have guessed. Being a part of many PAX collections has been especially rewarding as well as an often-needed spur to force me to plant my posterior in the desk chair and my fingers on the keyboard. 

Not long after Treading Dangerous Ground was released, the idea for Return to Atsileigh began to nibble around the edges of my mind. At first Floyd was a young woman named Florene but that didn’t work. I’m not sure why. Meanwhile, my muse forged off in many other directions while this next step in a promising story line sat there patiently and waited.  I did do another Unifleet tale, Fire on Ice, and even my steam punk/sci fi story Tom Fleet’s Incredible Machine has some links to my ongoing Unifleet epic but Return waited and waited some more.

For this military PAX, I actually intended to write a semi-contemporary story or at the least a nostalgic recent history one. There was Moose and Caboose (nicknames of two boot camp trainees who became unlikely partners) and  Rifles and Guns which takes off on a scurrilous Marine Corps story I learned from my former Marine late husband. Nothing worked. Something was telling me that it was time to get Return out of the box under the bed and make it become real. Both those other stories may have to sit and perk for awhile. In time they too will likely be written but for this time, you all get Return to Atsileigh

There is a third tale starting to nag me a bit too. Maybe we’d like to revisit Jace and Balt, now middle aged, and Floyd, Jamison and Nathan as they all have a chance to wreak revenge on the prejudiced and defiant  general who decided to take Atsileigh out without getting proper orders to do so. You think? Don’t hold your breath but it is possible. In fact stranger things have happened—like Return to Atsileigh finally seeing publication and release after about eight years! 

My new editor, who is a gem, confessed she loves Native American characters and sees too few of them. They are a favorite of mine as well. I write about the southwest a lot and when I do, the real cultural and ethnic diversity we have in this area often comes to play. I have had many Native American and Latino characters in that batch of stories I mentioned earlier. I’m not sure how Native Americans naturally arrived in a “space opera” kind of story but at least for me it seems to work. 

Why not? Life on most reservations is harsh with limited opportunities and many of today’s Native Americans as well as prior generations have found their place in the various branches of the military and done heroic things. So in a few centuries, perhaps they would still find a good outlet for the warrior traditions by signing up with the space forces as a number of planetary folk have formed a union and are bent on claiming new worlds and keeping a conflicting group at bay. Somewhere I found the Hightower dynasty and added to it with Floyd and Nathan in this tale. There may someday be others. 

*_*_*

Return to Atsileigh by Deirdre O'Dare is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win! 

Thursday 27 August 2015

Goodbye Town by T.A. Chase

Hello everyone! I’m T.A. Chase and I’m here to chat about my new book, Goodbye Town. It’s part of To Love a Hero PAX at Amber Allure. 

This one features Duke and Evan, who were boyfriends while in high school. Of course, they never told anyone since they lived in a very small town. Neither set of parents were there for the boys, so they became each other’s family. Then Evan left after graduation and Duke was stuck in this place that he hated. 

Goodbye Town is a reunited lovers story. There’s not a lot of angst in it. Simply two men finding each other again and trying to see if what they used to have was still there.  I like the idea of old lovers getting a second chance, but only if they broke up because of circumstances, not a misunderstanding. I’ll freely admit I don’t like misunderstandings as story plots. People should just talk to each other…lol

If any of you are country music fans, you might recognize the title. Lady Antebellum sang a song called “Goodbye Town” and that’s where I got my inspiration from, though I allowed my guys to meet up later in their lives when they are both ready for more than what they have at the moment. 

My friend, Devon Rhodes, often jokes about the fact that I get a lot of titles and story ideas from songs. It’s true. I think a majority of my titles come from songs or poems. Sometimes, there’s a line—or lyric—that hits me and an idea springs from there. Which is why I listen to music a lot…driving, running or just writing….there’s always music playing. 

I hope you get a chance to check out Goodbye Town and see if Duke and Evan get their own happy ever after. Thanks for stopping by and letting me ramble. Lol

*_*_*

Goodbye Town by T.A. Chase is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win! 

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Finding the Way Home by Sean Michael

I enjoy doing the AMBERPAX collections because it’s neat to see how different everyone’s stories are when we all start from the same place. To Love a Hero drew me in right away because some of my fondest characters are soldiers and I was pleased to write another one (or two as the case may be).

Now, one of the guys in the story is called Horse. I tell you, these guys name themselves and I fought Horse on his name and I fought him hard. I can’t have a hero in a contemporary story whose name is Horse. I was adamant. He was just as adamant that while it wasn’t his actual name, it was his nickname and it was the name that everyone knew him by. Everyone. Because anyone who dared call him by his real first name received a beat down and didn’t do it again.

At the risk of him somehow managing to come to life and giving me a beat down for divulging it, I will share that his real name is Horace. Horace Grundy the third. Yeah, I’d go by Horse too. 

I hope you enjoy James and Horse!

Blurb: When he arrives home from a long stint in the hospital after losing his right arm to an IED blast, Sergeant James Miller certainly doesn’t expect his keys not to work and a strange man answering his door, only to learn his boyfriend has dumped him. Yet that’s exactly what happens, and James is just happy that he can count on his old platoon buddy to have his back, and a spare bedroom he can use until he gets on his feet.

Horace Grundy the third—“Horse” to anyone who doesn’t want to get his butt kicked—is retired and has a tidy house on the beach that he calls home. The place isn’t big, but he figures there is plenty of room for James, even if he has always fancied the man.

Thankfully, the two of them fit together well, and soon the roommates become more. But James’s past isn’t ready to let go of him yet, and the new lovers are caught off-guard when James’s ex-boyfriend suddenly reappears in his life. Can James and Horse’s new relationship weather the storm?


Excerpt:

Horse pushed the couch so it was angled across two walls, still facing the TV, which gave him room to put both rockers by the window, side by side. He could almost picture Jim’s grandparents in them, rocking together. He put Jim’s bags on the bed in the spare room, and then went back out to make sure the truck was secure.

He couldn’t believe Jim’s man had done him like that. Well, unfortunately, he could believe it. Jim wasn’t the only friend Horse had whose relationship had crumbled beneath the stress of being deployed.

It was still shitty as hell and Jim didn’t deserve it. Horse wanted to break some heads.

At the same time, Jim was free now and Horse had wanted the man since they’d first met. He wouldn’t call it a crush because he was a fucking soldier, but he’d been hot for Jim since the start.

Horse poured himself another cup of coffee, grabbed a bag of cookies, and turned on the TV.

Jim headed in a few moments later, shaved and wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. The man looked fine. He was lean, with a belly to fucking die for, blond hair a little shaggy, but the stubble was gone. Wow.

Yeah, Horse was still hot for the man. He wasn’t going to jump Jim’s bones two seconds after he’d been dumped, though. That would be fucking creepy.

He looked at Jim’s stump. It was smooth, the surgeon had done a damn good job.

“Wanna look?” Jim walked right up, put what was left of the arm in Horse’s hands. It had been blown off at the elbow, and the surgery had taken another inch and a half or so. It was warm, alive, the flesh healthy. Instead of taking away from Jim’s appeal, it made the guy even hotter.

Horse slid his hand over the stump. “They did well by you, man.”

“They did. It doesn’t hurt. I was lucky.”

“And you’re having good luck with the prosthetic?” He continued to hold the stump, stroking Jim’s skin idly.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m learning. I imagine it’ll always be easier just to use my left arm, but it works.”

Horse finally let go and patted the couch cushion beside him. “Grab a seat.”

“Thanks.” Jim plopped down, sighed like he was a hot air balloon losing all its air. “God, it’s good to see you.”

“You, too, Sarge.” It had been well over a year since Jim had been sent stateside with his arm blown off.

Horse changed channels, finding a marathon of NCIS just starting up. “This good?” He was easy, really.

“Uh-huh. Like Gibbs. Reminds me of you.”

“That pretty boy? Me?” Horse laughed it off, but he was pleased.

“Yeah. You.” Jim settled back, eyelids heavy.

Horse sat back, grinning like a fool. 


Sean Michael
smut fixes everything

*_*_*

Finding the Way Home by Sean Michael is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Another Excerpt from Anomalies by Vivien Dean

Those in the military fascinate me. These are men and women who are prepared to follow orders and do everything they're told in order to protect people they've never met, all for the sake of honor and survival of what is right. But what happens when they're given orders they don't agree with? Or worse, discover later were not as honorable as they believed?

These questions inspired the story I contributed to this pax. In Anomalies, I created the world of Kathtor with its two sets of people to address how men in that situation might react. Or specifically, one man. Warden Arie Vedebel. He was raised in an environment where his technologically advanced people had been forced to consider military means after they were invaded by the brutal Kimon. All he wants is to protect people and do the right thing, and yet, when General Dennick Ginn arrives, everything Arie believes is thrown into chaos.

The following excerpt comes after Arie has brought Dennick back to his station. Dennick is showering while Arie works.

He kept his eyes on the screen when he heard the door open, though the general clearing his throat forced him to stop pretending he wasn't completely aware he was no longer alone in the room.

"What do you have in the way of medical supplies?" the general asked.

Arie opened his mouth to tell him where they were located, then thought better of the decision. They might be temporarily on the same side, but he wasn't going to let the general rummage around to his heart's content.

"What exactly do you need?" he said as he rose. It was a relief he didn't have to look at the general. His kit was located in a cupboard at the other end of the room.

"Something to make sure these burns don't get infected. They're more exposed than I thought."

Arie got out the burn spray and a few bandages to cover them when they were cleaned. His heart lodged in the back of his throat when he turned and finally saw the general standing in the steaming doorway of the shower room.

He'd stripped out of his clothes and wore only a towel wrapped around his waist. Though Arie had seen glimpses of the hard body through the destroyed material, it was now on full display. Not a spare inch of fat was anywhere to be seen. Muscles ripped down his stomach, tightening an already trim waist, while those on his arms and legs carved his limbs in near perfection.

What stole Arie's breath was not the definition as much as it was the scars that decorated every part of the man's flesh. They tore along his rugged skin like the one that bisected his eye, some of them silvery shallows where the skin couldn't compensate for missing muscle, others livid welts that refused to be ignored. More would probably be left behind from the burns. Knowing a man was a warrior was one thing. Seeing the proof etched into his skin brought it to life in ways abstract texts could not.

"Have you ever seen battle?" The general's tone was not unkind, though Arie still blushed at being caught staring.

"Only simulations, sir." Arie kicked himself as soon as the appellation came out. He'd been fighting the urge to call the man "sir" since the Kimon uttered his first words. It felt like treason offering him respect, but there was no denying the general deserved it, if only for surviving so many injuries.

"What about the others?"

"There are mild skirmishes with outlying posts. And the LTF is called upon to keep the peace when local officials fail." He shook his head. "I've never seen anyone who must've fought as much as you have."

"Sometimes I think I haven't fought so much as I've managed to not get killed." He nodded toward the supplies in Arie's hands. "I'm going to need your help with that on my back."

He turned on his heel like a man who expected to be followed, which Arie did without realizing until he was halfway there. Gritting his teeth, he finished his path into the smaller room, surprised when he hit cold air rather than the steam he expected.

His head swung back and forth as he looked for any sign of condensation. "How did you do that?"

The general perched on the toilet, his long legs awkward where he had to twist in order to fit. The towel he wore hitched up so high, his groin was barely covered. "Do what?"

Arie ran his finger along the mirror. The tip came back completely dry. "I've been trying for six years to improve on the extraction system in here without any luck. What did you do to keep the mirror from fogging?"

The general looked at him like he was crazy. "Why would it fog?"

"Because the hot water--"

"There you go." His features relaxed as he shifted his attention back to his burns. "I washed with cold. Mystery solved."

But the prospect of showering in cold water versus hot was just as astonishing to consider. "Why would you do that?"

"Why not?"

"Cold's uncomfortable."

"For you, maybe. You forget. We live in the mountains. Most of our water supplies come from run-off."

"So you warm it up."

"And waste the energy we could be using to heat our homes? That's ridiculous. Now get over here. We'll do my back first so you can return to whatever you were working on."

As Arie came closer, the general swiveled to expose the broad expanse of skin. None of the burns were third degree, but a couple had blistered and split, oozing onto clean tissue. Arie went to work on those first, getting on his knees to be at eye level with them as he wiped them clear before spraying. He focused on the task, not the clean scent of the person in front of him or the other scars that teased him to reach out and touch.

Bandages were more time-consuming. The edges contained an adhesive that bonded with skin, but once they made contact, it was impossible to remove them without alcohol to loosen the sealant. Arie had to ensure they were positioned over flesh that wasn't injured before covering each burn, which took long seconds rather than the dash and run he imagined the general expected.

Through it all, the general never flinched. Once, he made a sound in the back of his throat that might've been a grunt, but that was it.

"Don't they hurt?" Arie asked, unable to resist any longer.

"Of course. Sleeping won't be fun tonight."

No, it really wouldn't. "I could give you an analgesic if you want."

"I would've thought you'd want me to suffer as much as possible."

Arie gently pressed down the edge on the last bandage and sat back on his heels. "Even if I wanted to, what would be the point? If you're in pain, you're more likely to act rashly. It's in my best interest to keep you comfortable."

When the general held out his hand, it took Arie a moment to realize he was waiting for the spray and bandages. He passed them over and stood to retreat to the doorway.

"Why did you save me?"

The question stopped Arie from leaving. "Because you would've died if I didn't."

Though the general was intent on spraying the various burns on his legs, Arie would've sworn his full attention was on him. "Except you're alone here. Logic should've dictated anybody near the fire was a Therlerian enemy. You've said yourself that you're under orders to kill any intruders. What was your thinking when you pulled me out?"

His thoughts raced, but trying to grasp one that would satisfy the question was like trying to catch wind. "I wasn't."

"You acted on instinct."

"I suppose."

The general nodded once, but didn't speak again. After several seconds of silence, Arie left him in the shower room.

But the confusion that plagued him refused to go away. He stood in the center of the room and stared at the control panels, not seeing the various lights but instead the smoke-filled cavern. The possibility of leaving the general to die had never entered his consciousness until well after he'd finished with the charges and realized he'd saved a Kimon soldier.

Arie marched back into the shower room.

"What does it matter if I acted on instinct?" he asked.

If he was startled by Arie's sudden reappearance, the general didn't show it. He finished applying a bandage and reached for another one. "It doesn't," he said.

"So why ask?"

"I'm trying to figure you out."

"Why?"

"Because we're allies now. You made that choice when you lied to your superiors. I'd like to know the kind of man I've put my trust in." His gaze flickered up. "Isn't psychological analysis a part of your training?"

The entire notion was absurd. "No."

"Not even for people who wish to rise through the ranks?"

"Why would it be?"

"Because everyone is different, even in an army. It's one thing to demand obedience, but you have to understand how a person works if you want to get the best out of him. Any commanding officer of worth knows that."

His reasoning made sense, but it was foreign to everything Arie had ever been taught. He was a cog in a bigger machine, even posted as he was all the way out here at Midnight Creek. It worked only when all the pieces fulfilled their duties.

Which he hadn't when he'd allowed the general to live and covered up the truth with his superiors.

No wonder the general didn't understand him. Arie didn't recognize this part of himself, either.

"Don't worry about it." Done with his legs, the general stood and faced the mirror, turning his torso in various directions to examine burns he might not otherwise be able to see clearly. "You're the first Therlerian I've ever had the chance to speak to directly, so I'm curious more than anything else. Chalk it up to that, and let it go."

Arie wanted to--desperately--but his stubborn side didn't want to concede to the general's allowances. He edged back to give the general more room, though he wasn't ready to walk away just yet. "How many men do you command?"

"These days, none. I've been a part of Central for too many years." He poked the edges of the burn on his sternum, the seared mark of the metal clasp still visible. "Before I was sent to the peaks, I was responsible for the lives of thirty-five thousand, though mine wasn't the largest regime."

Arie's eyes widened at the number. That was half of the LTF resources, and the general claimed the Kimon armies were at least twice that size, if not much, much more. He'd been taught the Kimon numbers were drastically lower than that, and this was the size of a single army? "Why would you stop the invasions with such might on your side?" He could understand trying to head off an inevitable loss, but they were practically guaranteed a victory.

"You don't start a war just because you think you can win it."

*_*_*

Anomalies by Vivien Dean is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Monday 24 August 2015

Lovin’ a Man in Uniform by A.J. Llewellyn

I was excited to participate in the Amber PAX “To Love a Hero” collection of military stories and dusted off a previously self-published short story, completely revamping it with almost 30,000 words added to it. The story is very different but the characters are still the same. 

I love Jason Hargreaves, a military security lieutenant who is married to the delightfully named Kahuna (who goes by Kappy). Kappy loves a man in uniform. Frankly, who doesn’t?

I wanted to set my story in Hawaii and in fact the first version was written during the height of the war against terror. The islands were streaming with servicemen on leave, and many, many more arriving to begin new assignments at one of the many, important US military bases dotted around the island.

It was fascinating to see so much camouflage on the streets of Waikiki. Open-air trucks carried young soldiers into the mountains for training practice. A spirit of “we-can-do-it” filled the air. I got a small glimpse of what Honolulu must have been like in the days preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor, and afterward.

I met a lot of servicemen and their families. I had mixed feelings about seeing these vital, very young men going off to battle. But war has always been like this. I was fortunate to hear stories of courage, and of fear, and to learn some things about the bases that I’d never known before. For example, Pearl Harbor, the main naval base joined forces with Hickham Air Force base to create one of the largest military bases in the world.

It wasn’t until I visited Hawaii in April of this year that I met a retired Air Force officer who was able to answer all my questions – even the stupid ones. I am fascinated by all the bases on the island of Oahu and wrestled with the idea of which base in which to set my story.

To be honest, I dislike writing about anyplace I haven’t been and my initial choice was Schofield Barracks because until a few years ago, you could tour the base. I am so grateful now that I did because James Jones, author of From Here to Eternity, called Schofield Barracks “the most beautiful army post the U.S. has or ever had.”

The Honolulu Star Bulletin called it a country club. More than a million soldiers just called Schofield Barracks home. With its broad, palm-lined boulevards and art deco buildings, this old army cavalry post is still the largest operated by the U.S. Army outside the continental United States.

But.

And there’s a big but.

I had a story that needed to include both the Navy and Air Force and so I chose Hickam and Pearl Harbor. I drove past it many times and into it—twice—by mistake (and I was turned away politely but firmly each time!) but luckily for me I got great intel from author Alain Gunn, a mystery author who worked in the Air Force for his entire career. And so, Air Bear was born. I hope you read and enjoy my story. I loved every second of writing it. I not only love a man in uniform but sometimes think in a different time and place, I probably was one myself.


Synopsis:

Kappy and Jason are happily newlywed men relocating from a military base in Massachusetts to Kappy’s childhood home of Honolulu. For Kappy, the move brings up a lot of good and bad memories. And with his husband working a lot, it leaves him to deal alone with his resurrected past.

Jason, an Air Bear, is working at the combined Hickham and Pearl Harbor bases as a military police detective on a reactivated cold case. Although Jason’s work is secretive, his private life is spicy, hot, and nothing like anything the normally remote Jason has experienced before.

But things are about to get freaky when the target of Jason’s investigation starts stalking him. Jason has much to lose, and now he wonders about Kappy’s assertion that the island spirits—especially some wacky volcano goddess named Pele—will protect him...

Excerpt:

...“Where to?” Jason asked me. I glanced at him. He was so damned hot in his white T-shirt and new Baldwin Reed Jeans. I loved how they looked on him. Crotch-hugging, skin-tight. Too bad I’d have to make him take them off in a moment.

I led him down the hall, took a deep breath and slid the key card into the slot for room 2675. It gave a satisfying click as I pushed open the door. For a brief second, Jason cupped my ass with a firm hand as I moved ahead of him. We entered the beautifully decorated room and everything was just as I ordered. Champagne on ice. Room nice and cool. Fresh flowers, lots of pillows. Jason walked past me and over to the balcony door. I laid the suit bag on the bed and moved beside him. We had a perfect view of the empty International Marketplace to our right and the ocean to our left.

It was hard to explain to Jason how much it bothered me that so much had changed and that the International Marketplace in Waikiki was gone. The banyan tree that stood in the center of it for over a century had been preserved, as had a smaller hau tree. Building yet another swanky new hotel was called progress. I called it a crying shame.

He took it all in, the way he did everything, as though he were scanning the view for evidence of criminal activity.

“All right,” he said. “Who’s the third glass for?”

I opened my mouth to speak and he kissed me. It was a kiss with serious intention behind it, but a knock at the door interrupted us. Jason looked at me with avid curiosity and went to answer it.

My friend Yuji stood there. “Kappy,” he said, “Sorry. I was waiting for you and realized I was so nervous when I left home I forgot to bring rubbers.” He held up a box of Trojans. “I just bought some downstairs.”

I moved over to join them. Jason looked stunned as he took in the handsome young man I’d befriended through work. I saw the spark in his eyes. Yuji was gorgeous. What made him especially desirable was that he had no idea how hot he was. And poor Yuji, sweet and wonderful as he was, had been having a very difficult time of things lately. I thought letting my husband fuck him would make both their dreams come true.

“Jason,” I said, as I took Yuji’s hand and led him into the room, closing the door behind us. “This is Yuji. He turned twenty-one three weeks ago, and a lot of things have been going on in his life that have been very, very difficult. He’s always wanted to make love to an Air Force officer.” I paused. “And I know you love young, hot Asian men, so this is it. Put on your uniform. It’s in the suit bag. I want to watch you fuck the hell out of him.”

Jason’s jaw dropped. He just stared at me, then slowly began shaking his head.

“Have at it, sweetie.” I smiled at him...

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Mystery/Detective/Interracial/Multicultural/Ménage (M/M/M)/ 
Group Sex 
Heat Level: 3 
Length: Extended Novella (38k words)

*_*_*

Air Bear by A.J. Llewellyn is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Sunday 23 August 2015

LATEST PAX RELEASE - To Love A Hero

Genres: Gay (M/M) Erotic Romance

The titles listed below comprise the To Love a Hero AmberPax™ Collection. Buy all five together and receive a 35% discount! To purchase any of the titles individually, click on the covers below to go to the books' separate pages. 

Air Bear
Air Bear
by A.J. Llewellyn
Extended Novella
(Gay)
Anomalies
Anomalies
by Vivien Dean
Extended Novella
(Gay)
Finding the Way Home
Finding the Way Home
by Sean Michael
Extended Amber Kiss
(Gay)
Goodbye Town
Goodbye Town
by T.A. Chase
Extended Amber Kiss
(Gay)
Return to Atsileigh
Return to Atsileigh
by Deirdre O'Dare
Novella
(Gay)

 
In conjunction with our newest release, we will be having a giveaway! Any comment made from today throughout the week (8/23-8/28) will be eligible to win the entire pax collection. A winner will be picked at random on Saturday from all comments received.

Friday 21 August 2015

Return to Atsileigh by Deirdre O'Dare

The sequel to Amber Allure’s Best Seller Treading Dangerous Ground...

Some years ago, Hightower’s Betrayal ended the existing settlement of old world Native Americans on the obscure world of Atsileigh. But was Hightower the betrayer or the betrayed?

Floyd Jaxon, Nathan No Horses, and Jamison Hightower, nephew of the earlier Hightower, meet as cadets at the Unifleet Training base. They alternately razz each other and share in some steamy interludes as they are drawn into the growing plot to mark Hightower’s Betrayal with a return to Atsileigh.

Can their budding friendship withstand the dangers and demands they must face? Will Nate’s contempt for the Hightower name destroy any chances for a long-term connection among them? The future looms ahead, filled with threat and promise. How the three young men grow to deal with it and each other will impact them all...

Genres: Gay/Science Fiction/Futuristic/Action/Adventure/Menage (M/M/M)/Group Sex/ Exhibitionism/Public Places
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (19k words) 


Read a short excerpt...


...Floyd drew his right arm out from under his own body and stretched it down along his side. And also Nate’s, since there wasn’t a breath of space between them. Floyd heard Nate suck in a fast breath as he began to dance his fingers along Nate’s ribs and then slipped them into the waist of his pants, wiggling them along the top curve of his ass.

Nate did have a nice ass—hard and compact, but with enough muscle to shape some pleasing contours. A lot of the girls had noticed it, and some of the guys. Nobody called him “duck butt” although the thought might have crossed a mind or two. For a tall, lean man, he had a great rear view.

Floyd felt the near-silent chuckle shake Nate’s body. It didn’t take two breaths for him to catch on. His left arm wormed its way down to slide under Floyd’s body, into the hollow where his right leg met his torso. That put Nate’s fingertips right there, close to the throbbing prick that betrayed his arousal.

“Something we can do to pass the time, eh?” Nate’s whisper came very close as he angled his head toward Floyd’s. Then the tip of Nate’s tongue traced along the edge of his ear, a moist, tickling tease. The shiver went straight south. Oh man, maybe this was not such a good idea after all…

But he had to admit he’d been thinking about sex with Nate, just not the notion of doing it in a place like this, outdoors and in the presence of a third person. Jamison appeared to be oblivious to what was going on, at least so far, but he didn’t seem like the dullest tomahawk in the medicine bundle. He’d figure it out quickly enough. Then what might happen?

Floyd was probably glowing in the dark, he felt so damned hot. Nate was really good at this. He’d probably seduced a hundred would-be lovers into willingness; he was that kind of a man. Floyd would be just another feather in his bonnet, but what the hell. They were all certified disease free. No worries. Sex was fun and one of the cheapest forms of recreation anyone had.

He pushed his hand deeper under the rear of Nate’s pants and slipped his fingers into the crack of Nate’s ass. Nate wiggled now, and as he turned on his side, Floyd shifted his hand to the front and went to work on Nate’s zipper. He could feel the throb of Nate’s cock under the cloth and freed it to spring into his hand. Yeah, two can play this game.

Nate took another quick hard breath and stilled his exploring hand, as Floyd wrapped his fingers around him and squeezed. Then Floyd slid the circling clasp from the base to right behind the head and back down his prick again.

Floyd had shifted until he lay almost on his left side, his back to Jamison. At that moment, Floyd felt Jamison close behind him. The other cadet had moved, too, without a sound. From shoulders to knees, his body now meshed against Floyd’s. He could feel Jamison’s erection against his butt, each heartbeat reflected in a twitch that seemed a little more forceful every time. Warm breath gusted across Floyd’s neck, and a hand eased the braid of hair aside so lips could find skin. Warm and soft, Jamison’s mouth nibbled along the tender area there.

Dee-lish!! Floyd bit his lip against the whimpers of delight that crowded his throat. Too much excitement. It’s just too much!...

Thursday 20 August 2015

Goodbye Town by T.A. Chase

Duke Smith is ready to leave Granter’s Corner, the little backwater town in which he’d lived for twenty-eight years. Since his mother has recently died and his father’s in prison, there’s no need for him to stick around. His only good memories of the place are those moments spent with Evan Harper, his boyhood friend and first love. Evan left when they were eighteen, and while Duke never resented him for it, he has missed him.

Evan Harper is on his way to San Diego where his SEAL team has been stationed, but he has to make one stop along the way. He’s missed only one thing from his life in Granter’s Corner, and that’s Duke Smith. When they reconnect, Evan is thrilled to know their feelings haven’t changed during the years they were apart.

Duke already has plans to relocate to the coast, and moving in with Evan is a golden opportunity he can’t resist. Could fate be finally giving them a chance now that both of them have said goodbye to the past?

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Action/Adventure
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (17k words) 


Read a short excerpt...


...The silence between them was comfortable, as though there hadn’t been a time when they hadn’t been together like this. The whistle of the night train grew louder, prompting Duke to put down his food and grab a beer before moving to where he could see the tracks.

Evan stood and walked over to join Duke, leaning against him hard enough that Duke lifted his arm to lay it over Evan’s shoulder. It’s like we haven’t been apart. They had some talking to do, but not tonight and not here. They’d never talked when they came to the clearing. Watching the night train go by had been the excuse they used if they were ever caught together, but really they’d come there for more intimate things.

He tapped his bottle against Evan’s, then took a sip. Evan glanced at the bottle.

“I never thought I’d see you drinking anything other than PBR,” Evan teased.

“We drank what we could sneak out with, and that was what my momma liked to drink. It wasn’t a beer I liked.” He took a deep breath, then admitted, “I only liked it when I could taste it on your lips.”
Evan stiffened for a second, then relaxed. “Yeah. It was the same with me. I drink Corona now, or whatever shit my teammates buy. Discovered I can’t stand the taste of PBR.”

Duke smiled. “I wonder if it would be different if we were drinking it together.”

“Maybe we can test that theory sometime soon.”

He didn’t protest when Evan took his beer from him and set it and his on the ground at the edge of the blanket. Looking down into Evan’s eyes, he remembered all the times they’d stood like this. He’d always been taller than Evan, but he’d never thought of Evan as smaller or weaker than him. Hell, even back before Evan enlisted, he could’ve kicked Duke’s ass, and had, a couple of times when they’d gotten mad at each other. His eyes drifted closed when Evan cradled his face in his rough hands.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, Duke. Hoping and praying I’d get another chance to kiss you.” Evan’s breath whispered over Duke’s lips as he encouraged Duke to bend.

Duke wasn’t inclined to fight since he felt the same way. Their mouths touched, and it seemed like they hadn’t parted ways all those years ago. As he took it deeper, sweeping his tongue in to taste the beer and horseradish, Duke felt the subtle changes. Evan wasn’t as hesitant about where to put his hands or how much power to use when he crushed Duke against him. He gripped Duke’s ass, dragging his groin over Duke’s erection.

“Oh God, Evan,” Duke moaned, letting his head drop to the side and offering up more of his skin for Evan to kiss. “It’s been too long.”

He felt Evan freeze, then ease back a few inches. Opening his eyes, he found Evan staring at him with concern shining in his eyes.

“How long?”

Duke laughed when he realized what Evan was thinking. He patted Evan’s chest. “Don’t worry. I’ve had sex since you left. Hell, the last time was three days ago. I just meant it’s been too long for you and me.”

“Oh.” Evan looked relieved, then his eyes narrowed. “Who was the guy?”

“No. You don’t need to know that. First of all, it really isn’t any of your business, and second of all, he’s not out. He’s not married or dating anyone either, which is why I had sex with him. If he’d been either of those two, it wouldn’t have happened. I won’t let anyone cheat with me.” Duke steadily met Evan’s intense gaze.

“How do you know I don’t have someone waiting for me? I mean I could just be passing through and wanting to get my rocks off with an old friend before I continue on.” Evan leered.

He laughed. “You’re made just like me, Evan. Built loyal. You wouldn’t screw around on anyone, not even with me. You do notice I didn’t ask?”

Nodding, Evan stepped back without saying anything else. He lightly bit Duke’s chin, then returned to trailing kisses along Duke’s throat...

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Air Bear by A.J. Llewellyn

Kappy and Jason are happily newlywed men relocating from a military base in Massachusetts to Kappy’s childhood home of Honolulu. For Kappy, the move brings up a lot of good and bad memories. And with his husband working a lot, it leaves him to deal alone with his resurrected past.

Jason, an Air Bear, is working at the combined Hickham and Pearl Harbor bases as a military police detective on a reactivated cold case. Although Jason’s work is secretive, his private life is spicy, hot, and nothing like anything the normally remote Jason has experienced before.

But things are about to get freaky when the target of Jason’s investigation starts stalking him. Jason has much to lose, and now he wonders about Kappy’s assertion that the island spirits—especially some wacky volcano goddess named Pele—will protect him...

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Mystery/Detective/Interracial/Multicultural/Menage (M/M/M)/       Group Sex
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Novella (38k words) 


Read a short excerpt...


...“Where to?” Jason asked me. I glanced at him. He was so damned hot in his white T-shirt and new Baldwin Reed Jeans. I loved how they looked on him. Crotch-hugging, skin-tight. Too bad I’d have to make him take them off in a moment.

I led him down the hall, took a deep breath and slid the key card into the slot for room 2675. It gave a satisfying click as I pushed open the door. For a brief second, Jason cupped my ass with a firm hand as I moved ahead of him. We entered the beautifully decorated room and everything was just as I ordered. Champagne on ice. Room nice and cool. Fresh flowers, lots of pillows. Jason walked past me and over to the balcony door. I laid the suit bag on the bed and moved beside him. We had a perfect view of the empty International Marketplace to our right and the ocean to our left.

It was hard to explain to Jason how much it bothered me that so much had changed and that the International Marketplace in Waikiki was gone. The banyan tree that stood in the center of it for over a century had been preserved, as had a smaller hau tree. Building yet another swanky new hotel was called progress. I called it a crying shame.

He took it all in, the way he did everything, as though he were scanning the view for evidence of criminal activity.

“All right,” he said. “Who’s the third glass for?”

I opened my mouth to speak and he kissed me. It was a kiss with serious intention behind it, but a knock at the door interrupted us. Jason looked at me with avid curiosity and went to answer it.

My friend Yuji stood there. “Kappy,” he said, “Sorry. I was waiting for you and realized I was so nervous when I left home I forgot to bring rubbers.” He held up a box of Trojans. “I just bought some downstairs.”

I moved over to join them. Jason looked stunned as he took in the handsome young man I’d befriended through work. I saw the spark in his eyes. Yuji was gorgeous. What made him especially desirable was that he had no idea how hot he was. And poor Yuji, sweet and wonderful as he was, had been having a very difficult time of things lately. I thought letting my husband fuck him would make both their dreams come true.

“Jason,” I said, as I took Yuji’s hand and led him into the room, closing the door behind us. “This is Yuji. He turned twenty-one three weeks ago, and a lot of things have been going on in his life that have been very, very difficult. He’s always wanted to make love to an Air Force officer.” I paused. “And I know you love young, hot Asian men, so this is it. Put on your uniform. It’s in the suit bag. I want to watch you fuck the hell out of him.”

Jason’s jaw dropped. He just stared at me, then slowly began shaking his head.

“Have at it, sweetie.” I smiled at him...

Tuesday 18 August 2015

Finding the Way Home by Sean Michael

When he arrives home from a long stint in the hospital after losing his right arm to an IED blast, Sergeant James Miller certainly doesn’t expect his keys not to work and a strange man answering his door, only to learn his boyfriend has dumped him. Yet that’s exactly what happens, and James is just happy that he can count on his old platoon buddy to have his back, and a spare bedroom he can use until he gets on his feet.

Horace Grundy the third—“Horse” to anyone who doesn’t want to get his butt kicked—is retired and has a tidy house on the beach that he calls home. The place isn’t big, but he figures there is plenty of room for James, even if he has always fancied the man.

Thankfully, the two of them fit together well, and soon the roommates become more. But James’s past isn’t ready to let go of him yet, and the new lovers are caught off-guard when James’s ex-boyfriend suddenly reappears in his life. Can James and Horse’s new relationship weather the storm?

Genres: Gay/Contemporary
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (16k words) 


Read a short excerpt...


...Sergeant James Miller, retired, sat at the end of the driveway of the little beach house, just about as unsure as he’d been since he’d lost his right arm to an IED blast in the fucking desert. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen, right? He was a fucking wounded warrior. He was supposed to go home to Andy, have a hero’s welcome. Andy was supposed to hug him, tell him that it was okay, no big deal. It was cool. Stumps were hot. Retirement and pensions were hot.

Instead, what he got was another dude answering the door at the house he was supposed to be coming home to. A fucking psychiatrist to Andy’s nurse. A doctor.

“Sorry, James.”

“It just happened, you know?”

“You were always gone.”

“I didn’t tell you because you were hurt.”

Motherfucker.

So, what did he do? Did he kill Dr. Shrinker and Andy and bury their bodies in the backyard like he wanted to? No. He’d called Horse and asked if he could couch surf for a few days until he got organized. Now he was sitting in front of some little house on the beach in the Carolinas, trying to get his shit together enough to go knock on the door at the crack of dawn.

The door opened, and a tall, broad stud of a man came out, hands on his hips as he looked down the drive. Horace Grundy the Third—Horse to everyone who knew him.

“Are you coming in or do I need to come get you?”

“Fuck you, man.” James slid out of the cab, just about as tired as a man could be. All his shit was in the back of his truck. Everything he fucking owned reduced to one flatbed. Hell, it wasn’t even packed tight or anything. “This stuff safe out here?”

“Hell, yeah. ’Til dark anyway.” Horse shook his head and stepped out of the way, giving James room to get through the door. “You look like crap.”

“Thanks. I feel like hammered shit. And thanks for letting me come down.” It felt good, knowing he had a real friend, someone he could count on.

Horse clapped a hand on his shoulder, squeezed. “No problem. You take as long as you need.”

The house was small and neat as a pin. If he hadn’t known Horse was military, he sure would have guessed it from his home. Horse led him through the little front room that was mostly couch and TV and into a tiny kitchen where coffee was brewed.

“Oh, thank God.” James nodded at the offer of a cup. “Please.”

Horse gave it to him, just how he liked it—black as midnight—then sat across from him.

Horse didn’t say anything, but James could hear the question. He also knew if he wasn’t ready to talk, Horse would accept that, too.

“He’s living with a doctor, has been for a year. Asshole never said. He claimed he didn’t know how to tell me because of this.” James lifted his “arm.” He wasn’t too bad with it, really, although right now it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

“Fucking asshole coward.”

“Yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t have gone there. He’d changed the locks.” He’d had to knock at his own door.

“Jesus Christ, Sarge, that’s pretty fucking low. You know, I have a gun.” Horse’s grin was positively evil.

“I do know that. He was lucky I didn’t.” James managed a grin of his own...

Monday 17 August 2015

Anomalies by Vivien Dean

On the planet of Kathtor, Midnight Creek is special. It houses a geo-spatial anomaly that crosses the distance between opposite sides of the planet with a single step. A hundred years ago, the warring Kimon used the anomaly to invade the peaceful Therlerians, only to be driven away by their advanced technology.

Now, a single man guards the point of entry. Warden Arie Vedebel is the best of his kind, a soldier in the Liberated Therler Federacy, determined to defend his people to the death. When an electrical storm sets the creek on fire, he races to extinguish it, only to discover a man in the midst of it—General Dennick Ginn of the Elds Regime, a highly decorated Kimon officer.

Arie’s orders are to kill on sight, but Dennick’s claims that’s he come through the anomaly to destroy it make him pause. As far as Arie knows, the man’s goal is impossible. Then again, he’d always been told his post was a precautionary one, that traveling through the anomaly was no longer viable.

Warily, Arie and Dennick form an alliance. While Arie strives to find the truth, the one fact he can’t dispute is that Dennick is not what he expects a Kimon to be. The two men have more in common than military training...and they just might have a future, too.

Genres: Gay/Science Fiction/Futuristic
Heat Level: 2
Length: Extended Novella (39k words) 


Read a short excerpt...


...What Arie believed, what he’d been taught from his earliest memory, was that the Kimon were barbarians, incapable of expanding beyond their meager numbers because of their inability to restrain their bloodlust even amongst their own kind.

The unconscious stranger in front of him certainly looked the part. Age weathered his face. Deep grooves were carved out of his brow and beneath his eyes, disappearing into the graying scruff that highlighted his sculptured jaw. His lashes were pale, but on closer inspection, Arie saw that it was ash clinging to the thick, curly strands. Soot mingled with sweat to darken his skin, but most striking of all was the wide scar that bisected his right eye, running from his hairline all the way to the corner of his wide mouth.

That was a battle wound. Which meant Kimon had broken the quiet between their nations by sending a soldier through the door they’d opened years ago in Midnight Creek.

Arie took advantage of the stranger’s unconscious state to search for weapons. He wore nothing but his clothing and odd, lightweight boots with recessed studs hidden inside the treads. As far as Arie could tell, they didn’t come free, so those weren’t a threat. The man didn’t have any jewelry, either, no kind of gauntlet for his arms or amulets that might house tiny blades.

He frowned as he sat back on his heels again. A soldier without weapons? Of what use was that? Even a scout would have something with which to defend himself, but as far as Arie could tell, this man was completely unarmed.

The fire, however, could’ve destroyed a weapon. Clearly, it had taken the Kimon by surprise, since he’d been caught in the blaze. He could’ve had a pack, too, that was either destroyed or still in the cavern.

As he sat debating whether it was worth venturing down to the creek’s source to search for anything the Kimon might have brought with him, the man stirred.

Arie leapt to his feet and reached for a weapon that wasn’t there. Damn it. He should’ve returned to the station for his tak gun before approaching the stranger.

The Kimon coughed once, then opened his eyes. They were a startling green, in eerie contrast to his mottled skin, though he squinted almost immediately against the winds and rain that still rattled across the grass. When he turned and saw Arie standing over him, however, he froze.

“Where am I?” he asked. Though he spoke Therlerian, each word was heavily accented, clearly not his first language.

“You don’t get to ask questions,” Arie bit out. “You answer them. Who are you?”

The Kimon’s gaze swept down Arie’s body in a quick assessment. He shook his head when he was done. “I don’t have time for this.”

When he started to sit up, Arie thrust his foot into the Kimon’s shoulder to pin him down, only to feel his world warp around him as the man grabbed onto his ankle and twisted until he fell sideways. He landed with a grunt on his left side, knocking his head into the sonic extinguisher he’d set out of the way. By the time he leapt back to his feet, the Kimon stood as well, staring at the thinning smoke issuing from the nearby trench.

“What did you do?” the Kimon asked.

The query could mean anything. In the face of uncertainty, Arie floundered for the correct response.

Those sharp eyes cut back to him. Arie had to tilt his head in order to meet his gaze without flinching. “I know my Therlerian isn’t that bad you don’t understand me,” the man said. “So I will ask this only one more time before I lose my patience for good. What happened?”

Arie bit back his natural instinct to inform the Kimon of his mistake. It wasn’t the same question at all. This one he could answer.

“I pulled you out of there before you got caught in the fire.” He couldn’t resist adding, “Most people would consider that a good thing.”

The snide addendum took both of them by surprise. The Kimon’s scarred brow shot up, while Arie tamped down the bile that rose in his throat at such obvious childishness. That type of reaction was beneath him. He could only credit his weariness and the inconstancy of his current circumstances for it occurring at all.

“I didn’t ask to be saved.”

Whirling on his heel, the Kimon began marching toward the smoke...

Saturday 15 August 2015

Strip Away the Badge Giveaway Winner

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to share time with us and our sexy cops! Without further ado, the winner of our giveaway is...

Natalija!

I have your address, so expect an email from us soon.

Since August is another double pax month, we'll be back on Monday with blurbs and excerpts for our military men pax, which comes out on August 23.  See you then!

Friday 14 August 2015

Unobtainable by Shawn Lane

I’ve wanted to do a detective partners story for a long time. I have actually a longer fiction that I started ages ago and have still never finished and I briefly considered it for the Pax this and just knew I could never get it done in time, thus Unobtainable was written instead.

I was actually listening to Sam Smith’s “I Know I’m Not the Only One” when I came up with the idea and title for “Unobtainable”. Then my fictional California town of Haydon Cliff was born and the story just took over from that.

For “Unobtainable”, I decided to have the closed off Scott O’Hara be the POV character. He is not the open-minded guy he imagines himself to be.  And I knew I wanted to have a multicultural pairing, as I have done in the past, and so Edgar Lopez became Scott’s love interest. After having written so many books I have to get creative with names and I think Edgar really suits the character.

So I hope you enjoy reading about Scott and Edgar and how they navigate their budding relationship. I know I enjoyed writing them. 

*_*_*

Unobtainable by Shawn Lane is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Thursday 13 August 2015

On Bryson by D.J. Manly

What elements go into a good romance? Well, if you ask a variety of people, you’ll get a variety of answers. If you can’t list variables, you might give a think about the romantic films or books that have stuck in your mind. Wuthering Heights (hey, I named my British kittie Bronte already!), Romancing the Stone, The English Patient, Maurice, The Road Trip, Dirty Dancing, An Officer and a Gentleman. I could go on and one. Some prefer lots of angst in their romance, others like comedy. 

I’ve written many romances in my time. In my mind, a good romance should have two likable main characters. Likable doesn’t mean perfect. Character flaws are a part of human nature. But in spite of the flaws, there should be something redeemable about these characters. You take these likable but flawed characters and you put them into a situation where they may be some conflict. What is wonderful about love is that love can win over conflict. The importance of a good love story is not the ending. Sure, we want them to end up together. But the real beauty of a well written love story is the journey, how do these two characters manage to get through the obstacles and wind up together. 

I wanted to write a “classic” love story and that’s why On Bryson ended up being. Two men, who seem to be on opposite sides of the law, drawn to each other yet doing all they can to fight that attraction. Love sometimes has a power of its own, and no matter how hard you fight, it wins. 

The two characters in On Bryson are Soren and Bryson. Soren is a man who long to escape his situation. He has never really been free to live his life. And as the story opens, we realise he is trapped again. Bryson is a rugged, homicide cop who is loyal to his family. When his cousin is shot and put in a wheelchair, Bryson is determined to find out who is behind the shooting. Soren’s association with the head of a major crime family puts him directly in Bryson’s path. Where the story goes from there is for you to find out. I’ve left a little teaser for you below. Enjoy.

*_*_*

Soren walked over and took the chair opposite him. “You know, you’re good looking, and clearly intelligent, too. But I should tell you that your personality leaves something to be desired.”

“Is that so?”

“And you’re a little too cocky for your own good.”

Janis came over set an open bottle of red wine in front of them with two glasses.

“The best in the house,” Soren told him.

“How nice,” Bryson replied. “To what do I owe the VIP treatment?”

“Just welcoming a new client.”

Janis poured the wine into the two glasses and gave Bryson a smile before she walked off.

“It seems you’ve made quite an impression on my waitress,” Soren said, wrapping his fingers around the stem of the wineglass.

“I didn’t notice.”

“So, tell me something about yourself.”

“I don’t have to. You seem to have me all summed up. I’m cocky and intelligent…oh and good looking, can’t forget that one, but I have a shitty personality.”

“How about something I don’t know?”

“But you know all you need to, Soren. I’m looking for Vinnie Delino. Seen him around lately?” He lifted an eyebrow.

Soren laughed. “You are stubborn.”

Bryson didn’t respond, just looked at him.

“You come right to point, don’t you? All right, I’ll bite. Who’s Vinnie Delino?”

Bryson shook his head. “Come on, Mr. Gambini, cut the bullshit.”

“Would you mind not calling me, Mr. Gambini? You made your point earlier.”

“With all the power that name wields, I would think you would like using it.”

“Well, I don’t,” he snapped.

Bryson flashed a smile.

“You happy you got to me?”

“That’s not what I came for.” He took a sip of his drink. “Forgive me. Now, back to Vinnie.”

Soren gave him an innocent look. “I’m not following.”

He sighed. “This innocent act seems to be a family trait. Vinnie is part of your family. He was your almost father-in-law’s godson. That seemed to serve him well for a while. But apparently he was quite an idiot and did something stupid. That led to my cousin getting shot. So either Vinnie is dead or Sidney is hiding him.”

“Italians have big families, Bryson. I can’t be expected to know them all by name. But then, Accurso is Italian, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” he replied softly. “I’m half Italian, actually. My mother was Irish. Nice dodge.”

Soren ignored the last bit. “That accounts for it.”

“Accounts for what? Do enlighten me.”

“Those killer blue eyes.”

“Please”—Bryson put a hand to his chest in mock humility—“you’ll make me blush.”

Soren laughed. “Somehow I doubt that. You’ve heard it before.”

“So,” he said. “Now that we know my eyes are blue, have you seen Vinnie or not?”

“I haven’t seen Vinnie,” he replied. “Not that I recall.”

*_*_*

On Bryson by D.J. Manly is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post, making sure to include your email so we have a way to contact you. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!